tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45840630627655547212014-10-06T18:11:00.842-07:00Want Some? Get Some!J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-11952871184956593192013-06-09T10:32:00.000-07:002013-06-09T10:32:31.361-07:00REI Garage Sale Assessment<br />I had never been to one of these storied sales, I happened to be off and in possession of a $100 gift card, so I brewed up some coffee and pointed the Cherokee towards Greenville.<br /><br />Greenville is not a large or very busy store, so there wasn't a huge amount of stuff for this one. &nbsp;I had heard that these sales could get out of hand, so I felt some apprehension melt a little when an employee came around handing out little handbills with some rules of the trail.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S_TwCrSAVFw/UbS77FynI3I/AAAAAAAAARY/5sLbQryMuEY/s1600/IMG_1595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S_TwCrSAVFw/UbS77FynI3I/AAAAAAAAARY/5sLbQryMuEY/s320/IMG_1595.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />I got there about 7am the morning of and there was around 70 people in front of me in line.<br />I had done some research and many suggested knowing what you want when you go in so you can look for that first. &nbsp;I wanted a bike trainer and some clip on aerobars. &nbsp;I don't know if there were any aerobars, but there was one trainer and it got snapped up pretty quickly.<br /><br />Here's what I ended up with.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HK2HeH29eIc/UbS3G9YqfrI/AAAAAAAAAQo/HmTGiFE1_a4/s1600/IMG_1591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HK2HeH29eIc/UbS3G9YqfrI/AAAAAAAAAQo/HmTGiFE1_a4/s320/IMG_1591.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>&nbsp;I got a Long Big Agnes Aircore pad whose advertised problem was "water stains on bottom, <u>Holds Air</u>!" &nbsp;Next I found a pair of really functional Prana pants. &nbsp;They're called the Stretch Zion Pant and had "stitching coming apart" on their tag. &nbsp;I was looking for that last little something to make the trip worthwhile. &nbsp;I was standing at a table sorting through a bunch of non-working electronics when someone sat down a little sack in front of me. &nbsp;I guess they didn't feel like waiting through the growing checkout line for this one little item. &nbsp;It was a Sea to Summit silk sleeping bag liner. &nbsp;The tag notes "seam popped around head."<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aqusFrjiuHI/UbS3JKIitbI/AAAAAAAAARA/n9CKZYGc1aw/s1600/IMG_1590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aqusFrjiuHI/UbS3JKIitbI/AAAAAAAAARA/n9CKZYGc1aw/s320/IMG_1590.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Return Tags</td></tr></tbody></table>The break down:<div><br /></div><div>Item &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; New Price &nbsp; &nbsp;Paid Price &nbsp; &nbsp;Savings<br /><div>Silk Bag &nbsp; &nbsp; 69.95 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19.83 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;50.12<br />Sleep Pad &nbsp; 49.93 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 29.83 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;20.10<br />Pants &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;75.00 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 39.83 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;35.17<br /><br />So, if these prices are correct, the I saved $105.39 or 54% off. &nbsp; A good deal, to be sure, but not mind blowing. &nbsp;If I would bought some socks or shoes, the savings percentage would have been a great deal higher, but that's not why I was there. &nbsp;I hate wearing socks and I have plenty of shoes.<br /><br />All in all I'm satisfied. &nbsp;The defects were well documented and were not things that would bother me in a product. &nbsp;Take, for instance, the pants with the stitching coming apart.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pLXt66C1Pxc/UbS3JZZjBzI/AAAAAAAAARE/PnwuIXr30pE/s1600/IMG_1592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pLXt66C1Pxc/UbS3JZZjBzI/AAAAAAAAARE/PnwuIXr30pE/s320/IMG_1592.JPG" width="240" /></a>These pants are really cool. &nbsp;They have a couple of vent holes in the crotch area, a built in belt that doesn't go all the way across the front, and, as you can see in the picture, buttons so you can secure the pants leg for your bike commute to work or whatever.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oebYOWMUiKo/UbS3KlCducI/AAAAAAAAARM/Rxb-DkWByU0/s1600/IMG_1594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oebYOWMUiKo/UbS3KlCducI/AAAAAAAAARM/Rxb-DkWByU0/s320/IMG_1594.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Or, the sleeping pad. &nbsp;I call it that because it sounds a lot better than the mattress with the stains on it. Ewww! &nbsp;The stains or near the bottom of the photo.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SoWRYS5OcF8/UbS3JGeEa1I/AAAAAAAAAQ8/4AETE2aDqKs/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SoWRYS5OcF8/UbS3JGeEa1I/AAAAAAAAAQ8/4AETE2aDqKs/s320/IMG_1593.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The popped seam towards the top of the bag. &nbsp;If this bothered me I could sew it up. &nbsp;It doesn't bother me. &nbsp;I am so hot-natured that I am always on the hunt for something super cool to sleep in. &nbsp;Bag liners do great for me instead of sleeping bags when it's warm out, but you still want to cover up. <br /><br />Well that's it. Peace, homies!<br /><br /></div></div>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-55787943931813651522013-06-02T05:21:00.000-07:002013-06-02T13:14:21.532-07:00If All My Friends Jumped Off of a BridgeSo, there!&nbsp; I did it.&nbsp; I signed up for my first triathlon.&nbsp; Yeah, I know.&nbsp; One of those.&nbsp; <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XdhGE_fK4DA/Uastk2RIaSI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/4w04o47-aZk/s1600/blogger-image-1534243277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XdhGE_fK4DA/Uastk2RIaSI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/4w04o47-aZk/s320/blogger-image-1534243277.jpg" width="240" yya="true" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An integral part of Triathlon training</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Many men in middle age buy a sports car or take some other pleasurable extreme.&nbsp; I did most of my pleasure seeking in my twenties, so now I'm signing up for suffer fests.&nbsp; In a couple of weeks I'll be running Rock Creek's Chattanooga Stage Race, a 3 day stage race covering 60 miles, and in September I'll be doing the <a href="http://rev3tri.com/cedar-point/cedar-point-news/" target="_blank">Rev 3 Cedar Point Triathlon</a>.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">140.6 miles of super extra flat land in Ohio.&nbsp; The largest elevation gain I'm likely to encounter is if there are waves kicking up in Lake Erie that day.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Doing something this long requires a solid "Why?" </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Start:&nbsp; "Why am I doing this?"</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4&nbsp;hours in :&nbsp; "Why am I STILL doing this?"</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5 hours in:&nbsp; "Why am I STILL doing this?"</div>6 hours in :&nbsp; "Why am I STILL doing this?"<br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">et cetera...</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">First, let me tell you why I've never done one before.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div>﻿ <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pOChTX377gI/TwIgL1Mzz6I/AAAAAAAAAKs/K05R_HLHX4U/s1600/blogger-image-1188001669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pOChTX377gI/TwIgL1Mzz6I/AAAAAAAAAKs/K05R_HLHX4U/s320/blogger-image-1188001669.jpg" width="320" yya="true" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Rollin' it out, trail runner style.</div></td></tr></tbody></table>﻿ <br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I know that I am a trail runner.&nbsp; How do I know?&nbsp; One way is that I instinctively make fun of triathletes.&nbsp; I mean, those clothes, their fuel belts, their Oakleys?&nbsp; Another giveaway that I am an animal of the trail is that I enjoy a race as a mostly social gathering.&nbsp; I'm not really dawdling, but I would not call what I'm doing "racing."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Triathlon training, on the other hand, is all about shaving minutes, seconds, and legs.(and arms?)&nbsp; Now, get this, I'm reading beginner training books and, to be fair, they usually have a sentence about how your goal for your first triathlon should just be to finish.&nbsp; Then, they spend a couple hundred pages talking about gear that will save you ounces or a minute of time and techniques so that when you're racing, you can climb higher up into your age group.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I mean, some people are training balls out so they can place a little bit higher in their age group.&nbsp; No prize, no recognition, and&nbsp;some are&nbsp;sacrificing their adrenal glands, sleep, social life, and family.&nbsp; Don't get me wrong. Many know how to balance and have a healthy perspective, but normal people usually just blend into normalcy such that I don't notice them. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There's nothing wrong with trying to get a better time or being a better racer or moving one place in your age group in a race versus last year, but&nbsp;I can't justify some of the seemingly unnecessary intensity that some think it requires.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I could continue and go further down the hater rant hole, but let's refocus and look at why I DID decide to sign up and do my first triathlon.&nbsp; The reason:&nbsp;Meg Wempe.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Meg is a triathlete. She's also an Ironman.&nbsp; Meg also likes the trails.&nbsp; Though we've known each other since high school, it was only about 3 years ago that we started running together on the trails of upstate South Carolina.&nbsp; We've even done a few trail races together.&nbsp; One day in a bout of smack talking, Meg says "You may be able to beat me in a running race, J Scott, but you couldn't beat me in a triathlon!"&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There it is.&nbsp; It was that easy.&nbsp; All someone had to do to get me to train for 3 months and then drag my body across 140.6 miles of Sandusky, Ohio was talk the tiniest bit of trash.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">That sort of motivation only lasts a little while, so I had to search for a more meaningful, long-lasting "why."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Enter the non-profit <a href="http://teamrwb.org/" target="_blank">Team Red, White, and Blue.</a>&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They help returning vets by organizing social and athletic events to reintegrate them back into the society that they belong.&nbsp; Many of our modern vets return with physical, mental, and moral injuries and find themselves severely disjointed from their community, friends, and even family.&nbsp; PTSD, survivor's remorse, and a host of other obstacles often drive folks to drug and alcohol abuse, seclusion, and suicide.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VhcvgGNGTOw/Uastl58eddI/AAAAAAAAAQY/73dx-tBrUWs/s1600/blogger-image--1598123742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VhcvgGNGTOw/Uastl58eddI/AAAAAAAAAQY/73dx-tBrUWs/s200/blogger-image--1598123742.jpg" width="150" yya="true" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meg and I are a couple of these</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Team RWB gives folks a social and physical outlet to reconnect, belong, and function actively.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I believe in what they do and how they do it, so that is</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">my "why."&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Meg and I have a team called "Team Outsiders."&nbsp; We love to be and recreate outside.&nbsp; Also, when we were in high school, Meg and I were voted "Most Unique"&nbsp; for our senior class superlatives, so the name is very appropriate.&nbsp; </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Team Outsiders has a <a href="http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/teamoutsiders/megwempe" target="_blank">donation page</a> to raise money for Team RWB, please take time and give as little or as much as you want to help our returning vets that are having to overcome so much.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I am training and I hit a tough spot, I think of many of the <a href="http://teamrwb.org/our-impact/real-stories" target="_blank">testimonies of the soldiers</a> who have returned and are in so much physical and emotional pain. I also think about how there are so many in their position who would trade me, pain for pain, to be in the position that I am.&nbsp; Team RWB gives them the chance to exchange some of their war-related hollow pain for athletic related enjoyable pain.&nbsp; </div>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-10237333106096043832012-12-04T06:26:00.001-08:002012-12-04T09:15:37.690-08:00The Cake Walk 100 Mile Attempt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dU4p9ZDrWxw/UL4OM-g7FPI/AAAAAAAAAO8/1NbhHTSIRcg/s640/blogger-image--979389686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dU4p9ZDrWxw/UL4OM-g7FPI/AAAAAAAAAO8/1NbhHTSIRcg/s640/blogger-image--979389686.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />On December 1st, Lester Farmer and I set out at 5am to attempt running 100 miles from Palmetto Bible Camp to Oconee State Park.&nbsp; Lester made it all the way to the other side of the Laurel Valley section by Whitewater Falls.&nbsp; I only made it to the entrance to Laurel Valley which was about 35 miles.&nbsp; <br /><br /><a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/249117855">Garmin data for the first twenty something miles. Check out the elevation profile.</a><br /><br />In my run I got to go across Jones Gap State Park, over Raven Cliff Falls, across Caesar's Head State Park, across the Watson Cooper Heritage Preserve, and up and back down Sassafrass Mountain.&nbsp; Whew!&nbsp; For the last 18 miles or so I battled cramps mostly in my quads but also in my back.&nbsp; I kept pressing on the hopes that they would give up, but that never did happen.&nbsp; I knew that once I entered Laurel Valley it would mean 33 miles of no turning back so that meant I really needed to assess myself on that last little 4.7 miles before getting there.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VbZrj0hSW2g" width="560"></iframe> &nbsp;Well, the first step I took downwards, my leg locked up.&nbsp; I fell down the next few steps and landed on the leaf cushioned trail.&nbsp;&nbsp; My quads were cramping so I would try to bend my leg, but then my quad would cramp in the way that it makes a huge dimple in the heart of the muscle.&nbsp; I would try to straighten it out and the quad would speak up again.&nbsp; The whole scene was pretty humorous to me so I started laughing.<br /><br />Bad idea.&nbsp; My little muscles around my ribs locked up.&nbsp; That was even funnier, but since I didn't really have it in me to physically laugh, I just made a note of it and took in the coming sunset from the top of the tallest mountain in South Carolina.<br /><br />&nbsp;I knew that Meg would be driving like a bat out of hell to get to the bottom and set up the most elaborate and important aid station so far so there would be no hope of catching her in time to bail.&nbsp; I considered going to the top and begging for a ride, but I thought that since I would not be finishing the whole run that I might as well do this last 4.7 miles.<br /><br />Did I mention that downhills are what was killing me and that this section is all downhill climbing?&nbsp; Fun stuff.<br /><br />There is a road intersection about 2 miles from the bottom that I considered waiting until I could flag someone down, but then I figured I could make the last little bit.&nbsp; I was worried about holding up Lester and Scott Hodukavich.&nbsp; Scott had come up from Columbia to pace Lester and I through Laurel Valley.&nbsp; Scott met up with me before I reached the bottom of the mountain and walked it in with me all the way to the entrance to Laurel Valley.&nbsp; That was nice.&nbsp; I convinced him that I was definitely not going to continue after much encouragement from him and he left to catch up with Lester who had left about 15 minutes earlier.<br /><br />That is where my trail fun would end and the car cramping would begin.&nbsp; Hips, quads, and stomach.&nbsp; All of this suffering gave me great cause to sharpen my pencil on what I might do differently next time to be more successful. <br /><br />Here's what I came up with:<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}</style><![endif]--><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I need to more consistently train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I did long difficult runs, but doing theothers in between would have better prepared me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Do more training bombing downhills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Slamming down the hills seems to be theeasiest, quickest, safer, and more importantly, funnest way to get down steephills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Unfortunately, because of my lackof sufficient training in this area, it really beat me up which became an issuewhen piled on top of huge climbs, more huge descents, and everything inbetween.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Core training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Squats, dead lifts, planks, side planks, supermans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>My back was killing me after all of thatsteep climbing, more than a little of it using all four limbs.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">I had cut a v shape in the heel of my shoes because when Iran in them without socks it would rub on my Achilles and remove skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When running in those same shoes insemi-thick socks, my heel would all but slip out the back when climbing steepascents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So, for big climbing runs,either wear a shoe with a more substantial heel cup or very thin or nosocks.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Weighing less would certainly help when doing that muchclimbing and descending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I believe I amaround 185.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I would prefer more around160.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The number 1 culprit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Beer.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Need to also focus on strengthening my hips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Though some serious downhill running and moreconsistent training would help this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Ithink some more focused work such as doggy peeing on the fire hydrant leg liftsand clock squats will help as well.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What worked well?</div><div class="MsoNormal">My ultraspire pack.&nbsp; I usually carry a handheld as well, but I just used my pack.&nbsp; With the crewing Meg Wempe did, the pack was enough.&nbsp; I would have refilled out of the streams in Laurel Valley, but, other than that, I had more than enough fluid between aid.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Drymax socks.&nbsp; I have never worn socks while running.&nbsp; Though they created more slippage because of their cushion, I had no rubbed spots.&nbsp; I never get blisters so that was unchanged.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Tights and a tight shirt.&nbsp; No chaffage!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Meg Wempe-great crew person and someone that you can depend on to both be there and be there in good spirits. </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lOBcNFBOEkA/UL4OtkNnc8I/AAAAAAAAAPE/4WpANXEvs2I/s640/blogger-image--36696819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lOBcNFBOEkA/UL4OtkNnc8I/AAAAAAAAAPE/4WpANXEvs2I/s640/blogger-image--36696819.jpg" /></a></div>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-46148029351888660442012-03-04T07:50:00.009-08:002012-03-04T08:44:20.383-08:00Some "Epic" Stuff<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gDamNUWDgSM/T1OYNvwOYKI/AAAAAAAAAMU/U7pHRVYYyhE/s1600/Laurel%2BCreek%2BFalls%2BOverlookers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 271px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gDamNUWDgSM/T1OYNvwOYKI/AAAAAAAAAMU/U7pHRVYYyhE/s320/Laurel%2BCreek%2BFalls%2BOverlookers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716079713987748002" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yesterday I set out with some other locals to tackle the The Foothills Trail Heartbreak Bench Marathon. You start out near the foot of the tallest mountain in South Carolina and weave the Foothills Trail through creeks and streams, passing some gorgeous waterfalls. When I run with my friend Meg I often will say in a sort of surfer dude voice "EPIIIIC!"<br /><br />So, as I ran on in the woods seeing pretty things I would say it in my head in the surfer/stoner voice.<br />EPIIIIC!<br />EPIIIIC!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42pVyHttg1c/T1OYYKXfodI/AAAAAAAAAMg/fUt2FWYjBNM/s1600/Laurel%2BCreek%2BOverlook.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42pVyHttg1c/T1OYYKXfodI/AAAAAAAAAMg/fUt2FWYjBNM/s320/Laurel%2BCreek%2BOverlook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716079892930470354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />People dragging their feet never seem to sneak by me because it bothers me so much, but the whole calling every little thing that some person sees epic sits me right on the edge. If I could imagine someone justifiably going postal, I could see a High School english teacher being pushed over the edge by this.<br /><br />From dictionary.com:<br /><div class="header"><h2 class="me">ep·ic</h2> <span class="pronset"><span class="speaker"></span> <span class="show_spellpr" style="display:inline;"><span class="prondelim">[</span><span class="pron"><span class="boldface">ep</span>-ik</span><span class="prondelim">]</span> <span class="pron_toggle" style="display: inline;"></span></span></span> </div><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="pg"><span id="hotword"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">adjective</span> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="var"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">Also,</span> </span><span class="secondary-bf"><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">ep·i·cal.</span> </span></span> </span><div class="luna-Ent"><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="dnindex"><span id="hotword"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">1.</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="hotword"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">noting</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">pertaining</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">long</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">poetic</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">composition,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">usually</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">centered</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">upon</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">a hero</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="hotword">, in which </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">series</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">great</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">achievements</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">or</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">events</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">is</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">narrated</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">in</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">elevated</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">style:</span> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword">Homer's</span> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" class="rom-inline"><span id="hotword"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword">Iliad</span> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default; font-weight: bold;" id="hotword" name="hotword">is</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="hotword" name="hotword">an</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default; font-weight: bold;" id="hotword" name="hotword">epic</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); cursor: default;" id="hotword" name="hotword"><span style="font-weight: bold;">poem.</span><br /><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For some reason, this definition rings true. However, someone making a slam dunk, running naked down a hall, or going to a concert, to me, does not constitute an epic event.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">When you look at epic journeys, someone sets out to do something, the stuff hits the fan at least once or several times, usually in resulting in everyone thinking that the goal is now unachievable. Then, the hero overcomes the seemingly impossible odds and continues on until he achieves his end or is killed in some grand fashion. Stories that come to mind are the Alamo, Joan of Arc, and Odysseus.</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For instance, read this excerpt from wikipedia on Moses:</span><br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></span> "Moses' Hebrew mother, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jochebed" title="Jochebed">Jochebed</a>, hides him when the Pharaoh ordered all newborn Hebrew boys to be killed, and the child is adopted as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abandonment" title="Child abandonment">foundling</a> by the Egyptian royal family. After killing an Egyptian slave-master, Moses flees across the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Sea" title="Red Sea">Red Sea</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midian" title="Midian">Midian</a> where he has his encounter with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_Israel" title="God of Israel" class="mw-redirect">God of Israel</a> in the form of the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_bush" title="Burning bush">burning bush</a>". God sends Moses to request the release of the Israelites. After the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagues_of_Egypt" title="Plagues of Egypt">Ten Plagues</a>, Moses leads <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Exodus" title="The Exodus">the Exodus</a> of the Israelites out of Egypt and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Red_Sea" title="Crossing the Red Sea">across the Red Sea</a>, after which they base themselves at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Mount_Sinai" title="Biblical Mount Sinai">Mount Sinai</a>, where Moses receives the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments" title="Ten Commandments">Ten Commandments</a>. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses dies aged 120, within sight of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promised_Land" title="Promised Land">Promised Land</a>."<br /><br />He murdered, talked to a burning bush, freed the Israelites, and got a book right out of God's hands. They don't even mention that he parted the Red Sea, got water out of a stone by hitting it with his stick, and won a stick/snake-off. The pharaoh had a couple of magicians that could turn sticks into snakes so they did. Moses took his stick, turned it into a snake and his snake ATE those other two snakes.<br /><br />Now that is some epic shit.<br /><br />Going to some trail race and doing exactly the thing that you had planned to do. That is far and away not epic at all.<br /><br />The Geico commercial is a good example. The Gecko says that he is embarking on a journey of epic proportions. He is, but he is also 5 inches tall and is going to walk all over America and talk to every single person in it.<br /><br />Remember, the dictionary is your friend, and fail is a verb, failure is the noun.<br /><br />Here is a non-epic picture of numero uno.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JTGNFJy7HE0/T1OZaCmcNyI/AAAAAAAAAMs/9ZcAgDRlOX0/s1600/Number%2Bone.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JTGNFJy7HE0/T1OZaCmcNyI/AAAAAAAAAMs/9ZcAgDRlOX0/s320/Number%2Bone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716081024717043490" border="0" /></a>Thank you to Brian Guzik for letting me use his pictures.<br /><br />Have an epic week everybody!<br /></div>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-72584966267058013292012-02-27T02:22:00.004-08:002012-02-27T02:41:27.539-08:00Fort Yargo State Park Thrill in the Hills 42K<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SH8aXx7NOro/T0tc_sbwFtI/AAAAAAAAAL8/ii4Ovhm_KEU/s1600/Bib%2Bpicture.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SH8aXx7NOro/T0tc_sbwFtI/AAAAAAAAAL8/ii4Ovhm_KEU/s320/Bib%2Bpicture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762801578677970" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqhyR5iyiEc/T0tc3rd0K7I/AAAAAAAAALw/zDKOcywYkLA/s1600/Medals.jpg"></a><br />The day before yesterday I ran my first marathon. It was the Thrill in the Hills trail marathon put on by Dirty Spokes at Fort Yargo State Park.<br /><br />I was somewhat untrained in that I had ran about 4 or 5 runs in the preceding month, and, as a result, wasn't sure what to expect.<br /><br />And that is exactly what I got.<br /><br />The course is made of two 13.1 mile loops. I made my way around the first one in about 2 hours flat. I started to get the twinge of calf cramps and so would be the rest of my race. A little crampy, a little nauseous, and a little slow. I ended up finishing in 5:11. But, because there were so few racers at the full marathon distance and only three in my age group, I got the bronze medal for my age group.<br /><br />When the guy called me up to get my age group award, I told him "I already got my finisher's award." He replied, "This is for coming in 3rd." I told him thank you, shrugged my shoulders, and put it on. Hardly worth a booming "BOOYA!" but I certainly wasn't going to hide my medal.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqhyR5iyiEc/T0tc3rd0K7I/AAAAAAAAALw/zDKOcywYkLA/s1600/Medals.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqhyR5iyiEc/T0tc3rd0K7I/AAAAAAAAALw/zDKOcywYkLA/s320/Medals.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762663879945138" border="0" /></a><br />The one big thing I took away from this race is this: I have issues in races. Mostly with cramps or nutrition. I never have these issues in training. To me that means that I am not training hard enough in order to iron these things out so that I can perform better in racing. So, now, I have a fever, and the only prescription is more demanding and consistent training. <br /><br />I'm off to train for the Foothills Trail 77 mile challenge on St Patty's Day. Take care everybody and if you want some, GET SOME!J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-36774595323654342602012-01-02T13:22:00.001-08:002012-01-02T18:02:32.213-08:00Post workout roller for trail runnersThis therapeutic roller will help smooth out those post-workout knots and is available in cedar for those odor challenged athletes. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pOChTX377gI/TwIgL1Mzz6I/AAAAAAAAAKs/K05R_HLHX4U/s640/blogger-image-1188001669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 556px; height: 416px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pOChTX377gI/TwIgL1Mzz6I/AAAAAAAAAKs/K05R_HLHX4U/s640/blogger-image-1188001669.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-17073844657196049492011-12-30T16:24:00.000-08:002011-12-30T17:38:47.860-08:00Why Do You Run?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/---fnzlMAssI/Tv5nnKfwNHI/AAAAAAAAAKk/2yZs2JWd-OE/s1600/Crossing.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/---fnzlMAssI/Tv5nnKfwNHI/AAAAAAAAAKk/2yZs2JWd-OE/s320/Crossing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692100901572981874" border="0" /></a><br />Today I saw on post on Trail Runner Nation asking the question "Why do you run Ultramarathons? Why Why Why..." I hear that question all the time in magazines, canteens, and latrines. Usually the answer is something quippy like "because I can" or "so I can drink more beer." I never really thought of the real reason why I do it. I figured it out and here's the long answer.<br /><br />I started running four years ago this February directly on the heels of quitting smoking after 15 years of loyal puffing. I figured 30! cigarettes a day at 7 minutes each was an extra three and a half hours of time I gained by not standing around smoking. I asked myself<br />"Self, what are you going to do with all that free time?<br />Um, I dunno, maybe start a non-profit teaching kids who grew up in a digital age what clockwise versus counter-clockwise is?<br />No!<br />No?<br />Well, we used to like running when we were in high school.<br />That sounds good. Let's roll with that."<br /><br />And that's how it started. I put on my running shoes and headed out the front door with no thought to whether I would do it again after I gave it this try. Well, I kept jogging a little at a time and started looking up stuff and clubs on the internet when I discovered the Hill Country Trail Runners in my town, Austin,TX. I hadn't even considered running in the woods but when I saw their website I said slowly out loud "TRAIIIL RUNNNNING." My eyes got big, the clouds parted, angels played harps and butterflies left their cocoons. I knew EXACTLY where I was putting my running shoes down next. I did a couple of 5Ks, then did my first 50 miler, Rocky Raccoon.<br /><br />I ran the first loop like a crazy man, then had the pleasure of finding out what the death march is all about for the other two loops. Even after a somewhat miserable experience, it was only three days before I was back out on the trails for the Wednesday Club Run But why? I am not huge on the thoughts of revenge or redemption so I did not feel the need to "take care of unfinished business," training relentlessly in a montage like Rocky Balboa after getting it handed to him. Furthermore I do not consider myself an over obsessed nut. Then what is it that keeps me coming back?<br /><br />The real reason? I like to explore and I like to ambulate in the sense of the word meaning to move about. Bruce Lee once said "If you love life don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of." Trail running allows me to enjoy more of both of these by speeding up both the rate at which I move about and the amount of land I get to explore. Awesome!<br /><br />I moved away from the birthplace of my trail running, Austin, TX and back to my hometown of Seneca, SC in the Golden Corner of South Carolina at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. When I was younger I did some hiking and camping, but there are still tons of trails left unexplored by me. With my increased confidence and competence at covering large distances unsupported I get to take in large doses of these beautiful mountains. Within a 30 minute drive there is a 77 mile-long trail that stretches between two state parks and goes right over the top of the tallest mountain in South Carolina. Just beyond that trail is the beginning of another that runs 111 miles from the South Carolina/Georgia Border into North Carolina and meets up with the Appalachian Trail. 15 minutes away is an experimental forest surrounding uninhabited Issaqueena Lake with 47 miles of trails.<br /><br />The possibilities are endless for my exploring mind. So, how long will I keep running? I don't know. There sure are lots of bears, hogs, and hunting all year round so it's hard to say. But one thing is for sure. I'd have to be trying pretty hard in order to be bored. And I want to see a lot more.<br /><br />I'll leave you with a couple things<a href="http://matthewkirk.blogspot.com/"> Matt Kirk</a> said after run/hiking the 930+ mile Mountains to Sea Trail in North Carolina in 24 days. I got them from the <a href="http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/">Fastest Known Times</a> website which I will be writing about next. <br /><br />"I wish to inspire people of all ages to break free of the self-destructive habit of driving everywhere and get out and use their original God-given vessels, their bodies, for transportation. There are a million excuses, and some of them are fairly legitimate, for remaining encapsulated inside a car. But the benefits of walking, running and biking are undeniable."<br /><br />and<br /><br />"I like to hike."J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-22174254918064899552011-12-24T06:27:00.000-08:002011-12-24T17:51:48.819-08:00The Stars of UltraRunning<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-19ovIfI7OJI/TvYEmd9yfXI/AAAAAAAAAKY/avbk_JP_DWI/s1600/MC900444989.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-19ovIfI7OJI/TvYEmd9yfXI/AAAAAAAAAKY/avbk_JP_DWI/s320/MC900444989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689740238154530162" border="0" /></a><br />I was looking through the list of runners signed up for Bandera 2012 and was initially going to write a post highlighting all the "stars" of ultrarunning that I recognized and put links to their blogs so you could join me in the stargazing. <br /><br />Then I started thinking about people outside the spotlight that left me feeling like I could not go on concentrating on the "elite" runners.. I read the piece in the December TrailRunner about Brooks Williams finishing 19th at Leadville despite having cystic fibrosis, a respiratory and digestive disease. Then I thought about the guy who parked next to me last year at Bandera and I had the pleasure of talking with the night before the race.<br /><br />He was a mature trail runner who lived in an assisted living community and who did not have a bladder because of cancer. He drove his tired, old ass from California and slept in the bed of his truck the night before Bandera just so he could try and walk the whole 100K in under the cutoff time. When the other old men at the senior village had asked him why he puts himself through it, he told them that he couldn't play golf and he wasn't going to sit around and play bored games, waiting to die. He later told me that he it did for his sister who loved life and he had lost to cancer.<br /><br />The real heroes in life and in ultrarunning are ones we never really hear about until we meet them in life, at a race, or they become a warm-fuzzies-feature story in Trail Runner magazine. They are the people that life chops off at the knees and they rise up on their nubs or stumps or whatever, without dusting themselves off, and kick ass. They make us "regular" people look like a bunch of wimps.<br /><br />Overall, I am a positive person, but when I'm feeling tired or sore on a long run, sometimes I have to pistol-whip myself back into being positive. I think back to something I heard on <a href="http://www.ultrarunnerpodcast.com/ultrarunnerpodcast.com/Welcome.html">UltraRunner podcast</a>. I'm not going to quote it verbatim, but basically it said that no matter what kind of pain you are feeling, there are terminally ill people laid up in the hospital that would HAPPILY trade you pain for pain to be doing what you are doing. That usually sets me on my way back to my happy place knowing how awesome I got it.<br /><br />You know that you got it good when you have to find things to complain about such as your watch that uses satellites in friggin space to tell you how you are running. When we complain about the new version of the shoe that was our go-to for years on end is now a little different, perhaps we should just be grateful to have legs.<br /><br />When we're feeling bad that we couldn't/didn't give everyone the Christmas gifts we wished that we could've, just be glad that you are alive to get to see them and tell them that you love them.<br /><br />Merry Kwanzukka, everybody. <br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8r1CZTLk-Gk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-256700388726708562011-12-21T04:09:00.000-08:002011-12-22T07:49:26.222-08:00Emil Zatopek's Training for Breaking the 5000 Meter RecordWhat follows is an excerpt from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Running with the Legends</span> by Michael Sandrock. The book details the running lives of 21 runners. The first chapter is about Emil Zatopek. In this section he details his training to break the 5,000 meter record.<br /><br />Begin Excerpt<br />In 1954, Zatopek was now 32 and competing for the Dukas Sporting Club. Once more his military superiors called him in.<br /> "Emil," his voice grows low and gruff, imitating an officer. "You have world record 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 30,000, but no 5,000. 5,000 is Olympic event." The record was 13:58, by Gunder Hagg from Sweden. "Can you get it?"<br /> "Please, allow me to practice in the woods, in the forest, on soft terrain," Zatopek told them, as he had previously when asked to make a record attempt. "Three weeks. I need three weeks. Two weeks very intense productivity, third week, less and less, and then to try for the record."<br /> With time off from his military duties, Zatopek did the hardest training of his life, perhaps the hardest training ever. "I ran every day 100 X 400 meters. In the woods, 400 meters," he whistles, saying "arrhh," and making a face. "Then 150 meters jogging for recovery," he pants, with his tongue hanging out. "50 times in the morning and 50 times in the afternoon. Every day for two weeks. Oh, it was a lot of work." One hundred by 400 meters every day for two weeks-with warm-up and warmdown he was running over 30 miles per day.<br />End Excerpt<br /><br />Well, those were some serious workouts, eh? Let me cut the story short for you. He broke the record. After a week of rest, he flew to Paris and ran the 5K in 13:57.2, breaking the record that had stood for twelve years. The very next day he flew to Belgium and became the first person to run the 10K in under 29 minutes. Second place was almost two minutes behind him.<br /><br />This coming year of 2012 finds me getting serious about running hard and seeing what my limits are. For instance, I always felt like I needed a lot of time off to rest between runs. I am pushing back on that right now. Last week I ran 7 days in a row of 10 miles mostly working on form/posture. Looking forward, I took the <a href="http://therunnersfestive.com/">Runner's Festive </a>challenge of running 200K between the 10 days of Christmas eve to New Years Day. Check it out. 200K is the longest distance to which you can commit. They have distances as short as 50K(31 miles.) For my commitment that's just 20K(12.5 miles) a day, but it will be more than I have run in a row, ever. Guess it's time to load up on <a href="http://www.ultrarunnerpodcast.com/ultrarunnerpodcast.com/Welcome.html">UltraRunner Podcast</a>, which you should totally check out. Very informative and entertaining. These guys talk to legends, elites, and experts about history, strategy and beer.<br /><br />In the meantime, Do you want some? Well, then GET SOME!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4uu_dAYvk8/TvHWEPWly9I/AAAAAAAAAKM/8i8aa8gyxwc/s1600/Backside%2BAir.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4uu_dAYvk8/TvHWEPWly9I/AAAAAAAAAKM/8i8aa8gyxwc/s320/Backside%2BAir.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688563172674751442" border="0" /></a>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-23838173953194863912011-12-20T10:14:00.000-08:002011-12-30T18:50:09.141-08:00Bandera 100K USATF Trail National Championship PreviewIt's only two and a half weeks until what has become quite the showdown at the Bandera 100K west of San Antonio in the self-proclaimed "cowboy capital of the world," Bandera, Texas. I'm completely stoked on so many levels. This was where, last year, I ran my first 100K. The race is put on by <a href="http://www.tejastrails.com/">Tejas Trails(Joe &amp; Joyce Prusaitis)</a> and I love their races. Joe is a father figure of sorts to the Central Texas trail running community and he is an excellent steward of this position.<br /><br />Anyhoo, enough gushing.<br /><br />The race course itself is a lot of loose rock with steep small hills, unavoidable slicing from sotol cactus, and some long stretches of flats where you can turn up the heat. The most appropriate word is "rugged." Aid stations are great(both the food and drink and the volunteers.) Also, last year they had an iPad and a larger screen set up so that when folks came across the line, their results were immediately visible. That was pretty cool.<br /><br />This year I'm not running the race, but still get to enjoy it by volunteering. One of the many benefits of this is that I get to check out this pretty tough field that I now can partially recognize because of my recent ultra-geeking on the runners.<br /><br />Here is a brief list of some of the folks that could take it home:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Men<br /><br /></span>Timothy Olson-This two-time winner of the Pine to Palm 100 has also taken home first place finishes at the Silver State 50M and the Waldo 100K. Most recently, while running The North Face Endurance Challenge in San Fran battling cramps and going off course for about ten minutes, he still took 4th.<br /><br />Nick Clark-Looking at his <a href="http://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=Nick&amp;lname=Clark&amp;age=0">UltraSignup profile</a>, it looks like he has not finished under third place in all but one of the ten races they show. Blatantly absent from these results is his continued domination and course record at the <a href="http://irunmountains.blogspot.com/2011/12/vertical-beer-mile-2011.html">2011 Vertical Beer Mile</a>.<br /><br />Paul Terranova-An Austinite who has the advantage of familiarity with the course, Paul is a top 3 runner at almost all of the trail races he enters, though most of them are at 50 miles or less.<br /><br />Dylan Bowman-With this year's first place finish at the San Diego 100 and second place at Leadville Trail 100, Dylan looks like one tough cookie at only age 25. His blog lets you know that he doesn't have much of a poker face when it comes to this year's Bandera:<br /> "Since October, my training has been laser focused on this particular race. I can say with full confidence that I’ve never been this fit or enthused in any December of my life."<br /><br />Dave Mackey-On his blog he states that he is only using this run as a tuneup race and that he feels "recharged and ready to go." Keep in mind, though, he won this race last year while setting the course record of 8:16:48.<br /><br />Men's Postscript: I could not make out if the David James from Phoenix, AZ who is registered this year is the Dave James from Northfield, OH and last year's Bandera who was second and came in under the previous course record in 8:33:36. If he is, then, Yeah, him too!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Women</span><br /><br />Pam Smith-After last year's 2nd place finish at Bandera and this year's win at Miwok 100K, Pam gets an automatic entry into the front running of this race. The fact that she just trained and ran a 2:55 road marathon means she will have a little speed for making time on the flats.<br /><br />Joelle Vaught-UltraSignup.com shows Joelle as having 5 first place finishes this year plus her 3rd place finish in TNFEC in San Francisco. Here again, these results are for races 50 miles and under, though she does still hold the course record for her 10:23:32 finish at the Waldo 100k in 2009. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />update!!! </span>I've been told Joelle is out of this race.<br /><br />Liza Howard-A resident of nearby San Antonio, Liza Howard loves hundreds. And they love her back. She won 2010's Leadville. This year she both won and set course records at both the 50 mile and 100k version of the USATF National Championship. This year she also won and set the course record at the Javelina Hundred and took first at Rocky Raccoon 100 in 15:33. All from someone who just started running ultras in 2009 at age 39.<br /><br />Darcy Africa-She has a ton of first place finishes on her resume. The last three big races that I saw her finishing were 1st at Golden Gate Dirty Thirty 50K, 2nd at Hardrock 100, and 3rd at UTMB. Pretty freakin' impressive. <br /><br />Bree Lambert-Two time winner of Tahoe Rim Trail 100 as recently as this year and fourth at TNFEC SF are a couple of quills in Bree's hat. She is definitely going to help fill out the field.<br /><br />Kara Henry-Kind of a wildcard, Kara is a former collegiate steeplechaser delving into ultras. She took first at the Bear Chase 50M and second at the Quad Dipsea.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WARNING! </span>Though you may be exhausted by this geekiness, it is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to adjust my outlook.<br /><br />Good luck to all the runners and I look forward to seeing all of you out there!J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-11400220012701321942011-12-16T06:33:00.000-08:002011-12-16T07:15:38.077-08:00Screening JB Benna's Unbreakable: The Western States 100<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hdJIswav1PY/TutaRZbYQcI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/o_fJLxl6r00/s1600/Altamont%2B1.BMP"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hdJIswav1PY/TutaRZbYQcI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/o_fJLxl6r00/s320/Altamont%2B1.BMP" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686738209415381442" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, I went up to Asheville the day before yesterday to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Altamont-Brewing-Company/175609402477826">Altamont Brewing Company</a> for their screening of the JB Benna film Unbreakable:The Western States 100. That was my first time at Altamont and it was a cool West Asheville vibe on a 62 degree day. It had the open garage feel with a table tennis setup, a disc golf target, and a stage.<br /><br />They set up the movie on the stage with a projector and around 50? folks showed up to take it in and drool. Even local celebrity <a href="http://jenniferpharrdavis.tumblr.com/">Jennifer Pharr Davis</a> and her husband Brew showed up and let me have a picture with them!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtnE3ok8saI/TutbAb1VB0I/AAAAAAAAAKA/OjWymeJU8AE/s1600/Jenn%2BPharr%2BDavis.BMP"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtnE3ok8saI/TutbAb1VB0I/AAAAAAAAAKA/OjWymeJU8AE/s320/Jenn%2BPharr%2BDavis.BMP" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686739017514944322" border="0" /></a><br />Anyhoo, the movie was very balanced. It showed the competitors gathering their gear together at home, nervously chatting at the packet pickup, and interacting with their crews and significant others. The race footage was definite "eye of the tiger" material with amped up music that I'm happily surprised did not result in a spontaneous run after the show. Also mixed in was footage of a shirtless Gordy Ainsleigh retelling the running of his first Western States. The movie had a balanced mixture of all the previously mentioned elements and while I'm sure it had a shortcoming or two, between the race battle footage, awesome scenery, and the camaraderie of an audience filled with wonder and beer, none come to mind.<br /><br />Great Job JB Benna and West Asheville's Altamont Brewing Company. If you haven't had a chance to check out JB Benna filming/running a mile following Geoff Roes and Uli Steidl click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwqnaxQnmIo">here.</a><br /><br />Also, DVD presales of the film are at <a href="http://www.ws100film.com/">http://www.ws100film.com/ </a>J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-46717831888740035142011-12-12T07:01:00.000-08:002011-12-12T10:45:41.725-08:00Rabun Bald Trail in Georgia<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vh5WJT38bJQ" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />It seems like most of my life I've read about people doing cool stuff while I've been just working and playing basically in my yard. I have the spirit of an explorer, but I haven't been following that spirit.<br /><br />F that S.<br /><br /><br />Starting now, I am going to start doing the stuff I like to read about. What do you want to do, Scott? What event or activity could you participate in that would make you stop whining like so many children at a Wal-Mart during Christmas time?<br /><br />My first 100 mile race.<br /><br />I'm going to do the <a href="http://www.roguevalleyrunners.com/P2P100/raceinfo.html">Pine to Palm 100 </a>race in Ashland Oregon in September. It starts out with a pretty long climb, so I've been looking for some of those around here. A tall climb I found that is about 25 miles from my house is Rabun Bald in Georgia. At 4696 feet, it stands as the second tallest peak in Georgia. The trail from the Forest Service Road runs about 2.9 miles, so I thought, "What the Heck?" and set on my way on Saturday.<br /><br />My original goal was to run up to this trail head and just slog up the mountain, take some pictures at sunrise, and jog down. Basically, I was going to try and do this as a hill repeat 3X. Well, I started out running, but that didn't last for very long. As you can see from my Garmin, I ended up with a 24:11min/mile average pace and whipped as I was, called a day after one rep. I learned what I needed to learn from this mountain and left the rest of the day to let it sink in.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/133683984" frameborder="0" height="548" width="465"></iframe><br /><br />Obstacles:<br />1.Went past the trail a little bit when driving down the gravel road in the dark. That paired with my impromptu squat in the woods while lost contributed to me missing the sunrise.<br />B.My lack of fitness dissappointed my watch.<br />Thirdly. It was 27 degrees and windy as a Congressional hearing.<br /><br />Triumphs:<br />Uno. I moved so slowly and stopped so often I got to take in some wonderful views.<br />Deux. I got a great workout with virtually no impact to my joints and whatnot.<br />叄. The time and temp toughened my temperJ Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584063062765554721.post-9130420214471356332011-11-28T08:06:00.001-08:002011-11-28T09:12:32.694-08:00Thanksgiving Foothills Trail Traverse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ob1unkZKtnE/TtO_GTnfA_I/AAAAAAAAAIk/hTM1nqjO6fc/s1600/058.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ob1unkZKtnE/TtO_GTnfA_I/AAAAAAAAAIk/hTM1nqjO6fc/s320/058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680093670110331890" border="0" /></a><br />This past weekend I had the honor of running some of the Foothills Trail in SC/NC with some folks that were running the whole thing. I just started out with them at Midnight and ran the first 14 miles from Table Rock State Park to the entrance to Laurel Valley where I had left my trusty Jeep.<br /><br />Starting out were Lester Farmer, Mimi Hughes, Naresh Kumar, Mark Hickman, and Psyche Wimberly. Watching them go out into Laurel Valley while I headed home for a shower and a nap left me feeling a little guilty. I would not see them until about 11 hours later when they would arrive at Whitewater Falls.<br /><br />I brought my accordion and occupied a little time waiting for the runners to get to WWF by playing to the trees and trying to figure out a song for them to come up the pretty monstrous hill to the parking lot. I ended up picking out my best effort of Eye of the Tiger. So, when I or someone else spotted someone at the bottom of the hill I would let the Survivor hit loose. I enjoyed it, but the grueling climb that the runners had just pushed up left them with less than an enthusiastic look on their faces.<br /><br />Mark came into WWF first and then left with Chad Henderson pacing him. Psyche arrived shortly after Mark's departure, then Naresh. Each of them ate, changed out some clothes, and refilled their water. A couple of them had a beer. A little bit later Lester came in and threw in the towel. He had been puking his guts out in Laurel Valley and had gotten his fill o' fun. A little while later it got dark and we had a couple of phone calls with Mimi trying to reel her in to WWF. After one of the calls, a pack of coyotes let out this mob of noise like they were giving something their best effort. That led to uneasy jokes about waiting to hear back from Mimi. Scott Hodukavich ended up heading down the trail to help her get to the last little bit up to the parking lot where she called it an evening. <br /><br />I ended up driving Mimi down to Oconee State Park where I called it a night and headed back to my home in Seneca. Congratulations on everyone who started out and a special hoot and holler to those that finished!<br /><br />Results of folks traversing the trail can be found on http://www.foothillstrailultras.com/J Scott Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16674743773481791653noreply@blogger.com0